The operational status of automated assembly or process systems is continuously monitored to recognize impending operational problems which could result in expensive downtime as a result of machine jamming or unacceptable tool wear.
Numerous parameters are measured including motor current and voltage, force conditions in component assembly operations, limit conditions in industrial processes, etc. The monitored condition signals may originate as binary signals, current and voltage signals, force signals, strain gauge signals, on-off limit switch conditions, etc. The processing of these monitored condition signals has typically required redundant and expensive signal processing channels.